Meet Emma Zak

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emma Zak. 

Hi Emma, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
When I was little, I would always get in trouble for drawing on my math tests. I’ve truly been an artist and creating for as long as I can remember, even if my abstract crayon wall art didn’t have the right audience yet. Despite my masterpieces around the house and on my schoolwork, my parents were luckily always supportive. My inspiration came from everywhere, images I’d see, books I’d read, song lyrics I’d heard, or a scene in nature. I was blessed to be encouraged to follow my passions. And I did. All throughout high school, I was able to share my work a little more and meanwhile, grow my confidence. I knew art was what I wanted to do. 

I attended Sweet Briar College for a studio art major and became a leader in the college’s Outdoor Program where I planned outdoor trips such as kayaking, backpacking, rock climbing, and canoeing, and was lucky enough to teach my peers these skills. This made me realize my love of “unconventional education”, as I call it, teaching and sharing outside the classroom. I can’t separate this from my art as this truly helped shape me and my work. 

I am currently 23 years old and specialize in painting in oil, though I love getting my hands dirty in many different materials. My art style today has strong surrealist influences- I love presenting a landscape as a story to interact with my audience. I believe that an art piece is never finished. Every person that views a piece of art brings their bias, perspective, stories, background, likes, and dislikes. A piece is interpreted differently with every single viewer; this way the piece is never stagnant. It grows and changes and has different meanings. Today I sell and show my work under the business name Egg Art. My work can be found online through my Instagram and website. I will be sharing stories as long as I can. 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
COVID was a very large complication in my plans. I was unexpectedly told I could not come back to my college from break during my first semester of my senior year and completed my education virtually. The lack of closure and the immediate separation from my studio space as well as my friends was quite difficult mentally, coupled with all of my post-graduation plans being cancelled. I had plans after graduation that were years in the making, suddenly gone. How does one begin their life as an adult with no footing during a global crisis? My art truly suffered at first, but as things have started to slide back to feeling normal, I’ve been able to show and create more. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I specialize in painting in oil, though I love getting my hands dirty in many different materials. My art style today has strong surrealist influences- I love presenting a landscape as a story to interact with my audience. I believe that an art piece is never finished. Every person that views a piece of art brings their bias, perspective, stories, background, likes, and dislikes. A piece is interpreted differently with every single viewer; this way the piece is never stagnant. It grows and changes and has different meanings. I hope to challenge my viewer by creating a dialogue between themselves and the piece. I hope to bring out imagination and wonder in all my viewers by transporting them to another space with my work and considering possibilities and ideas outside ourselves. I want to bring out the artists in everyone who sees my work. Today I sell and show my work under the business name Egg Art. My work can be found online through my Instagram and website. I will be sharing stories as long as I can. 

How do you define success?
I think my idea of success is definitely unconventional. Naturally, we all want to make a living doing what we love. First and foremost, I define my personal success as “Am I living up to my full potential, being true to myself? Am I constantly attempting to grow and discover myself?” The goal is to make these not necessarily mutually exclusive. 

Pricing:

• Interrupted Landscapes: Glacier $3,000 (sold as set)
• Interrupted Landscapes: Manitoba $3,000 (sold as set)
• Interrupted Landscapes: Lava $3,000 (sold as set)
• Order in the Desert $850
• Garden of Eden $2,000

Contact Info:

• Website: https://zak205.wixsite.com/egg-art
• Instagram: @emmaegg_art
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emma.zak.104